Method for separating knitted fabrics



May 21, 1963 M. GOLDSTEIN METHOD FOR SEPARATING KNITTED FABRICS .2 Sheets$heet 1 Filed May 8, 1961 larva Ji .f.

y 1963 M. GOLDSTEIN 3,090,098

METHOD FOR SEPARATING KNITTED FABRICS Filed May 8, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 3,090,098 METHOD FOR SEPARATING KNITTED FABRICS Myron Goldstein, 28 W. 26th St., New York, N.Y. Filed May 8, 1961, Ser. No. 108,644 7 Claims. (CI. 28-72.)

This invention relates generally to knitting and more particularly to a method and means for separating knitted articles after being knitted as a knitted fabric in which the body fabric portions or areas of the fabric correspond to the knitted articles and which are joined by separating courses of separating thread stitch formations.

In the knitting industry knitted articles, for example knitted sweaters, cuffs, plackets, bands or collars for either a sweater or a knitted shirt, are automatically knitted with the knitted articles separably joined by courses of separating thread stitch formations in which a separating thread is drawn therefrom substantially longitudinally to separate the articles. When the goods or articles are finished in the greige they are sent to be dyed. Dyeing methods differ according to the effect desired on the finished articles. For example, in the case of processed natural fibers, synthetic or blended yarns, for example Orlon, banlon, helenca, etc., the effect generally desired is a hard finish. To obtain the hard finish the dyer will dye the knitted articles at a relatively high temperature and decrease the amount of softener in the dye bath so that a hard finish is obtained on the yarns.

The dyeing operation, particularly when high temperatures are employed, will cause tightening of the body yarn stitches of the knitted articles and the separation stitches so that the stitch formations of the separating threads cannot then be readily released. The failure of the separating threads to release readily will often cause parting of the separating threads which will require that the separating thread be picked out manually thereby increasing labor costs. Several techniques have been developed for separating the articles. The knitting industry has resorted to the use of separating threads that disintegrate at predetermined temperatures below the temperature level in which the knitted material is damaged. However, the use of the special disintegrating threads requires the extra heating operations and heat treating equipment to cause the threaded disintegration and release of the knitted articles held together by the separating thread courses. Moreover, particles of the disintegrated thread form small globules or hard beads that become distributed on the knitted articles causing an undesirable roughness in the material and it sometimes becomes necessary to pick out manually the globules or beads which is time consuming. Soluble threads that will dissolve in special baths are also employed and this, too, requires special solutions to dissolve the separating thread courses.

It is a principal object of the present invention to provide a release agent and a method for readily separating knitted articles held together by separation thread stitch formations.

A feature of the invention is the provision of an inexpensive release agent applied to the separating courses for upsetting the electrostatic charge imbalance in the stitch formations of the separating courses and lubricating the separating threads thereby to reduce the attractive and frictional forces between a separating thread and stitch formation of the courses to be separated and the separating thread to be drawn therefrom.

3,090,098 Patented May 21, 1963 Other features, principles and objects of the present invention will be better understood as described in the following specification and appended claims, in conjunction with the following attached drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a roll of knit-ted articles to be separated according to the invention;

FIG. 2, is a perspective view of a part of the roll shown in FIG. 1 and is illustrative of the manner in which the knitted material will pucker before the knitted articles being separated are treated according to the invention;

FIG. 3, is a diagrammatic sketch illustrative of the application of a release agent to the separating courses of separating thread stitch formations of the knitted articles shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4, is a diagrammatic sketch illustrating the ease which the knitted articles shown in FIG. 3 are separated subsequent to treatment of the separating courses with a release agent according to the invention; and

FIG. 5, is a diagrammatic sketch on an enlarged scale illustrative of the stitch formations in a separating course separating the knitted articles illustrated in FIG. 1.

According to the drawings a knitted fabric 1 is shown comprising a plurality of separable knitted body portions or articles, for example knitted collars 2, held together by separating courses 3 of stitch formations of separating threads in which a respective release or separating thread as hereafter described is substantially withdrawn longitudinally from its respective separating course after severing for separating the articles.

For purposes of illustrating the invention it is assumed that the knitted fabric 1 having the fabric body portions or areas 2 representative of knitted collars for shirts has been through a dyeing operation after having been finished in the griege. The adjoining knitted articles 2 are separated by separating courses of separation stitch formations formed, for example, in the manner illustrated on an enlarged scale in FIG. 5 in which a cast-off stitch formation is shown. The separation stitch formations in each separation course are formed from a separating thread 6 joining body yarns 7, 8 of the knitted articles 2. It being understood that the body yarns 7 and 8 belong to two articles 2 joined by a separating course 3.

In order to separate the knitted articles 2 the thread 6 is severed, for example by severing with a pair of scissors illustrated in FIG. 1, at a preselected point 10 and then the separating thread is withdrawn substantially longitudinally from its respective course. That is to say the respective separating thread is withdrawn from between two given knitted articles 2 which comprise given portions of the entire roll. 'It Will be understood that each course 3 is separated in the same manner.

The dyeing operation tends to create a situation in which the separating thread stitch formations are compacted so that the thread 6 is not easily released. Dyeing causes a tightening of the stitch formations of the separating threads so that easy release of the separating threads is not permitted. In such cases the separating thread while being drawn longitudinally from its respective course refuses to release itself readily and puckers the material as illustrated in FIG. 1, and may even part causing a loss of time and the operator may have 'to actually pick out a separating thread from its respective course. 7

According to the invention a release agent comprising a spray is sprayed on the separating thread course while it is in a dry state. The spray is applied as an aerosol spray 11 in small or fine particles. The agent has lubricating characteristics and comprises a lubricant that persists after application. The agent lubiica-tes the fibers and permits easy Withdrawal of the separating thread. Subjecting the separating thread courses to the release agent, which is in liquid form, also upsets the electrostatic charge imbalance in the stitch formations of the course due to static electricity thereby reducing the attractive forces between the threads of the stitch formations of the course to be separated and the separating threads to be drawn therefrom. The release agent is nonstaining and comprises a liquid mixture applied as a spray having, for example, a composition, by weight, as follows:

SPRAY 3% Dimethylpolysiloxane With an Average of 1250 S.S.U. at 100 C., Specific Gravity 0.972 at 25 C., 48 /2% of Trichloromonofluoro A Iethane, 48%.% of Dichlorodiflzrorametlzane The spray is formulated by first mixing well the dimethylpolysilixane and the trichlormonofiuoro methane. The mixture is filled, for example, in an aerosol can and the can is sealed. The dichlorodifluoromethane is pressure filled into the can and acts as a propellant for the mixture when applied as hereafter described. The spray can also be canned by using a cold filling system.

The release agent is usable on all types of natural and synthetic fibers, for example, cotton, nylon, banlon, helenca, Orlon, acrylon and blended fibers. It has been found that the lubricant spray will persist on the surface of relatively absorbent threads or yarns made of absorbent fibers, for example, cotton. The liquid mixture is contained in an aerosol can 12 and applied along the individual courses manually. It will be understood, however, that the release agent may be applied by mechanical automatic means, not shown, where the knitted fabric is transported longitudinally and devices on the automatic machine actuated to carry out a spraying or application as fine or small particles in the manner in which an operator would apply the release agent manually as heretofore described.

The release agent is applied along the individual separation courses and along the boundaries of the knitted articles while they are in a dry state as illustrated in FIG. 3. The separating threads of the respective courses are then readily withdrawn in the direction of the arrow as illustrated in FIG. 4 without puckering of the material and without eventual parting of the separating threads. The separating threads are pulled substantially right after applying the spray in the method according to the invention. The spray when applied also upsets the electrostatic charge imbalance caused by static electricity which results from the manufacturing and handling of the material.

While one type of separation course stitch formation has been illustrated it will be understood that the invention is applicable to other stitch formations, for example, the tubular type stitch formation which is a relatively tight stitch formation to begin with even prior to dyeing of the materials. It has been found that the method according to the invention for separation of knitted articles is particularly effective in preparing these tight stitch formations for easy separation.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, it will be understood that many modifications and changes may be made within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent 15:

1. A method of separating knitted fabrics and articles having at least two separable body fabric portions joined by .a separating thread stitch formation adapted to be withd awn from between the adjoining body portions,

comprising severing the separating thread at a preselected point to permit withdrawing thereof and before completely withdrawing the separating thread applying a fluid release medium thereto lubricate the separating thread and reduce at least the frictional forces between said body portions to be separated and the separating thread to be withdrawn.

2. A method of separating knitted fabrics and articles having two separable body fabric portions joined by a separating thread stitch formation adapted to be withdrawn from between the adjoining body portions, comprising severing the separating thread at a preselected point to permit withdrawing thereof, and at least before completely withdrawing the separating thread applying a fluid release medium thereto as small particles to lubricate the separating thread and reduce at least the frictional forces between said body portions to be separated and the separating thread to be withdrawn.

3. A method of separating knitted fabrics and articles having at least two separable body fabric portions joined by a separating thread stitch formation adapted to be with-drawn from between the adjoining body portions, comprising severing the separating thread at a preselected point to permit withdrawing thereof, withdrawing said separating thread, and before completely withdrawing said separating thread applying a fluid release medium thereto as small particles while said separating thread is in'a dry state to lubricate said separating thread and reduce at least the frictional forces between said body portions to be separated and the separating thread to be withdrawn.

4. A method of separating knitted fabrics and articles having at least two separable body fabric portions joined by a separating thread stitch formation adapted to be withdrawn from between the adjoining body portions, comprising severing the separating thread at a preselected point to permit withdrawing thereof, withdrawing the separating thread to separate said body fabric portions, and at least before completely withdrawing the separating thread applying a fluid release medium thereto as an aerosol spray while said separating thread is in a dry state of lubricate the separating thread and reduce at least the frictional forces between said body portions to be separated and the separating thread to be withdrawn.

5. A method of separating knitted fabrics and articles having at least two separable body fabric portions joined by a separating thread stitch formation adapted to be withdrawn from between the adjoining body portions, comprising severing said separating thread at a preselected point to permit withdrawing thereof, and at least before completely withdrawing said separating thread applying a fluid release medium thereto as an aerosol spray to lubricate said separating thread and reduce at least the frictional forces between said body portions to be separated and said separating thread to be Withdrawn.

6. A method of separating knitted fabrics and articles having at least two separable body fabric portions joined by a separating thread stitch formation adapted to be withdrawn from between the adjoining body portions, comprising severing said separating thread at a preselected point to permit withdrawing thereof and before completely withdrawing said separating thread applying a liquid release medium thereto as a spray while said separating thread is in a dry state to upset electrostatic charge imbalance in said stitch formation and to lubricate the separating thread thereby to reduce attractive and frictional forces in said stitch formation and between said body portions to be separated and the separating thread to be withdrawn.

7. A method of separating knitted fabrics and articles having at least two separable body fabric portions joined by separating thread stitch formation adapted to be withdrawn from between the adjoining body portions, comprising severing said separation thread at a preselected point to permit withdrawing thereof, and before completely withdrawing said separating thread applying a liquid release medium thereto as a spray while said separating thread is in a dry state to upset electrostatic charge imbalance in said stitch formation and to lubricate the separating thread thereby to reduce attractive and frictional forces in said stitch formation and between said body portions to be separated and the separating thread to be withdrawn, said liquid having the characteristic of having lubricating qualities that persist when applied, said liquid spray being applied substantially close in time before withdrawing said thread from between said body fabric portions, and the withdrawing of said separated thread being done without need of subsequently drying the article having the stitch formation on which said medium is applied.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,422,154 Weller June 10, 1947 2,717,842 Vitalis Sept. 13, 1955 2,779,084 Kastrinsky Jan. 29, 1957 2,882,239 Comings et al Apr. 14, 1959 3,004,871 Leavitt Oct. -17, 1961 

1. A METHOD OF SEPARATING KNITTED FABRICS AND ARTICLES HAVING AT LEAST TWO SEPARABLE BODY FABRIC PORTIONS JOINED BY A SEPARATING THREAD STITCH FORMATION ADAPTED TO BE WITHDRAWN FROM BETWEEN THE ADJOINING BODY PORTIONS, COMPRISING SEVERING THE SEPARATING THREAD AT A PRESELECTED POINT TO PERMIT WITHDRAWING THEREOF AND BEFORE COMPLETELY WITHDRAWING THE SEPARATING THREAD APPLYING A FLUID RELEASE MEDIUM THERETO LUBRICATE THE SEPARATING THREAD AND REDUCE AT LEAST THE FRICTIONAL FORCES BETWEEN SAID BODY PORTIONS TO BE SEPARATED AND THE SEPARATING THREAD TO BE WITHDRAWN. 